


Dottie Lupin and the Grim Omen

by Coffeesforcatchers



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Chronic Illness, Eventual Sirius Black/Remus Lupin, F/M, Father-Daughter Relationship, Friends to Lovers, Fuck JK Rowling, Hogsmeade Dates, M/M, Nonbinary Character, Not Canon Compliant - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Peter Pettigrew is a Little Shit, Queer Characters, Trans Characters, Werewolf Remus Lupin, Wizarding Culture (Harry Potter)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-04
Updated: 2020-12-10
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:40:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27870082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Coffeesforcatchers/pseuds/Coffeesforcatchers
Summary: Dottie Lupin is used to keeping her dad's secrets.She has to keep the biggest one yet when her other father breaks out of Azkaban.
Relationships: George Weasley/Original Character(s), Hermione Granger & Harry Potter & Ron Weasley, Remus Lupin & Original Character(s), Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Comments: 8
Kudos: 22





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I, as a trans person, do not endorse JK Rowling or any of her disgusting views. 
> 
> However, I have gotten back into the story she wrote, and I decided that I wanted to write this. This may be self indulgent, but what isn't?

Of all the days for the August full moon to fall on, it had to be the day before the Hogwarts Express left. Dottie knew that there was no controlling the lunar cycle and her father’s condition, but she knew that he had wanted to take the staff train. Now he would have to take the train with the students. 

Dottie was thrilled. It had always been just her and her dad, and Hogwarts had been a bit of a struggle to adjust to, for the both of them. But Dottie was entering her fourth year now, and her father had been hired as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. 

But the full moon had put a damper on some of their plans. Dottie packed her trunk a day early, and her father had taken her to the Leaky Cauldron to meet up with the Weasleys.

“Thank you for everything, Molly,” Lupin said, running a shaky hand through his mousy hair, “I owe you quite a lot.”

“Forget it, Remus,” Molly assured him. “It’s not like I would turn the two of you away.”

He smiled warmly, and turned to his adopted daughter. Dottie looked nothing like Lupin, with bright blue eyes and dark blonde hair that fell just above her shoulders. She was far shorter than her father as well, and she stood on her tiptoes to accept his embrace. 

“Be good for Molly, sweetheart. Don’t start trouble with the twins,” He said, and Dottie grinned. 

“Dad, we both know that between me and the twins, I am not the one starting the trouble,” Dottie laughed. “Please be okay?”

He ruffled her hair. “I’ll do my best, sweetheart. I’ll see you tomorrow morning, bright and early.”

“Okay, Dad,” Dottie said. “Love you.”

“I love you too, sweetheart. Get some sleep tonight. Big day tomorrow.”

“I’ll try,” Dottie promised. 

With that assurance, Lupin smiled, and turned back to the Floo. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

With a flash of green flames, her father was gone. Molly turned to Dottie, reaching for the cage she clutched in her left hand. Inside, Dottie’s barn owl, Athena, hooted softly. “Well then, dear, let’s get you settled,” Molly said as Dottie handed her the cage. 

They headed upstairs to the rooms the Weasley family had rented. “You’ll be sharing with Hermione and Ginny, dear.”

“How’s Ginny doing, Mrs. Weasley?” Dottie asked. “I haven’t heard from her all summer.”

Molly sighed. “The trip to Egypt did boost her spirits some, but she’s still quite traumatized, which is understandable.”

“It’s good to hear she’s doing better, at least a little bit.”

Molly nodded, stopping in front of a door on the first landing. “Here is the girls’ room, they’re all out in Diagon Alley, if you want to meet up with them once you’re settled.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Weasley,” Dottie said, stepping inside and setting her trunk next to the dresser. “I know my dad keeps thanking you, but really, thank you.”

“We wouldn’t turn you away, dear,” Molly said, setting Athena’s cage down on the dresser. “We’ve been watching you for years. Now, I know that the twins  _ were _ asking when you’d arrive.”

“I’ll go meet up with them, then,” Dottie grinned. “Thanks again, Mrs. Weasley.”

Molly smiled at her as Dottie scrambled down the stairs and out into Diagon Alley. 

The alley was loud and crowded, full of families getting their last-minute shopping done before the school term started the next day. It was often too overwhelming for Dottie, too many noises, too many people, but Dottie was too excited to worry about getting overwhelmed. She hadn’t seen her best friends in three months. 

Out of the corner of her eye, Dottie caught a glimpse of red hair. She turned towards Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlor, and lit up with a grin at the sight of two Weasleys. 

“Oi! George! Fred!” Dottie called. The twins spun on their heels, moving completely in sync. It would have been creepy if Dottie didn’t know that they found this hilarious. It was clear that they had just spent time somewhere hot, as their freckles stood out against their newly tanned skin. 

“Hey, Dot!” George waved. “How’ve you been?”

“Just brilliant. This summer was pretty good to me,” Dottie said, inwardly cringing at the lie. There had been the Bad News. But the boys didn’t need to know. “Dad took me to a bunch of muggle movies. There were a couple that were really good.”

“That sounds like fun,” Fred said, taking a big bite of his ice cream. 

“It was,” Dottie admitted. “Where are your siblings?” 

“Harry and Ron are at the Quidditch Supply Shop, ogling at this new model of broomstick,” George said. “Freddie and I already did our fair share of gawking at it.”

“Hermione and Ginny are at the Magical Menagerie,” Fred finished. “Ron was there earlier. His rat isn’t looking too good.”

“Huh,” Dottie said, peering around the twins to look at the menu. “That rat’s been alive for a really long time.”

“As long as we can remember,” George said. “Oh, are we in your way, Dot?”

“Yeah, when did you two get so bloody tall?” Dottie laughed. “Did somebody slip you something in Egypt?”

Fred laughed, slinging his free arm across Dottie’s shoulders. “Fear not, our dear friend, we were not slipped growth potions in Egypt.”

Dottie smacked his arm playfully. “That’s good to hear, but you two and your big heads are still blocking the menu.”

“Like you’re not just going to order chocolate peanut butter again,” George said, and Dottie smacked him as well. “Am I wrong?” he asked. 

She sighed. “No, you’re not wrong.”

The twins laughed and high-fived, and Dottie found herself unable to stay mad at them, as usual. 

“How long has Harry been here?” she asked. “I know your mum and dad picked up Hermione this morning, but what about Harry?”

“From what we’ve heard from Dad, Harry’s been here nearly a month. Ran away after he blew up his muggle aunt.”

“He did what now?” Dottie gawked. “I bet she had it coming though, Harry’s one of the sweetest kids I’ve met. I don’t think he would blow someone up without a good reason.”

The twins nodded in agreement. 

“Well then,” Dottie said, fishing in the pockets of her cardigan for a handful of silver coins, “I’m going to get my chocolate peanut butter ice cream.”

George whooped. 

“Shut your mouth, George, I swear to god,” Dottie threatened, but there was no menace behind her smile. 

After Dottie got her ice cream and sat down between the twins, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Harry all approached them. Ron and Hermione seemed to be in the middle of a spat, Ron clutching Scabbers, his pet rat, and Hermione holding back an orange cat, which was hissing at the rat. 

“Hey, Harry, Ginny,” Dottie greeted, choosing to ignore the other two for the moment. “It’s really good to see you two.”

“It’s good to see you too,” Ginny said. Like her brothers, Ginny’s freckles were more pronounced, and she had actually tanned. Ron, on the other hand, had gotten quite burnt, skin still peeling around his nose. 

“Harry, I heard from the boys that you blew up your aunt?”

Harry shrugged. “It was an accident. She was talking bad about my parents, and I just, sort of, lost control.”

Dottie grimaced, remembering a flash of dark red hair, a beat of a man’s laughter. She didn’t remember much of James and Lily. She had been too young to really remember them when they died, when her father had… “I’m sorry, Harry.”

“It isn’t your fault,” Harry said, brow furrowing. 

“I know, I guess I just mean I feel bad?” Dottie said.

“Oh,” Harry said, eloquently. 

“Are either of you getting ice cream?” she asked. Ginny shook her head. 

“I’ve had ice cream just about every day for the past month,” Harry said. “I think I’ll pass.”

“Okay,” Dottie said. “Fair enough.”

* * *

That night, after everyone had dinner and retired to their rooms at the Leaky Cauldron, Dottie couldn’t sleep. The full moon shone through the curtains, casting silvery light across everything. It was too bright, the room too unfamiliar, and Dottie couldn’t quiet her racing thoughts. 

Where was her dad right now? Was he alright? He had taken a new potion yesterday, which supposedly helped people with his condition keep their minds when they changed. Was it working?

Dottie could hear the pipes creaking and Ginny’s snoring. She rolled over, trying not to disturb Hermione, who was sleeping next to her, or her new cat Crookshanks, curled up by her side. 

The sky started lightening, and Dottie realized, a lump forming in her chest, that her father would be changing back right about now. She sat up with a quiet groan, also realizing that she hadn’t slept at all. 

Dottie took a quick shower and got dressed in her favorite sweater and jeans. It was so soft, and it was finally cool enough outside to wear it without overheating, and she loved how heavy it was. 

The other two girls were still fast asleep when Dottie snuck out of their room. The stairs creaked as she went down to the pub, but she didn’t pay much mind to it. She wanted a cup of coffee, maybe a muffin if they had one. 

Dottie stopped in her tracks as she entered the main room. “Dad? You’re back early.”

Lupin turned to face her, hiding a grimace behind his smile. He was leaning heavily on his cane, but Dottie couldn’t see any bandages peeking out from the collar of his shirt or from the sleeves of his cardigan. “You’re up early, Dot. Didn’t I tell you to get some sleep?”

“I tried,” Dottie said, looking at the floor. 

They sat down at a side table. Lupin leaned closer to Dottie, squinting a little. “You look tired, sweetheart. Did you even sleep at all?”

Dottie poured herself a mug of tea from the enchanted kettle floating around the main room. She couldn’t make eye contact with her father, and she took comfort knowing that he wasn’t going to demand it from her. “Dad. I was worried. I couldn’t have slept if I wanted to.”

Lupin’s brow furrowed as he grabbed his own mug. He set it down on the table and reached across to rest his hand on Dottie’s forearm comfortingly. “Dottie, the new potion worked splendidly. I’m not hurting nearly as bad as I usually do. I know that you worry about me and my condition, but I’m alright, I swear.”

Dottie sighed, relaxing under her father’s touch, still not making eye contact. “That’s good to hear.”

“Yes. It is. But we do need to have a talk about this year,” Lupin said, “And the reasons that Dumbledore agreed to hire me as a professor.”

Dottie gulped, eyes flashing to the wanted poster on the wall. The man shown there had clearly once been handsome, but looked broken, staring off into the distance. They said he had gone mad, but he didn’t look like it. 

“What about it, Dad?” Dottie asked, holding her mug closer to herself. “There was more than one reason?”

“When Sirius was working for-” Lupin glanced around, “Voldemort, he told him where your aunt and uncle were hiding. And when your uncle Peter tried to confront him about it, he killed him and a dozen others.”

Lupin took a deep breath, and for a moment, Dottie saw the same expression that the man on the wanted poster wore. “Professor Dumbledore believes that, while his main target at the moment might be Harry, there is a possibility that he will come after the two of us as well. Dumbledore wants us safe, and while there may be a vacancy in the faculty, that was the main reason he hired me.”

“Dad, do you really think he’s going to come for us?” Dottie said, glancing up at him. “Do you think he wants us dead?”

“Sweetheart, I don’t know,” Lupin said, taking a long drink from his mug. Dottie remembered the look on his face when he saw the headlines when he had escaped. There had been a crash, something shattering in the kitchen, and Dottie remembered scrambling into the kitchen to find her father standing in the pieces of his favorite mug, white-knuckling the Daily Prophet. Dumbledore himself had arrived a few hours later, offering her father a job. 

“You don’t think he’s going to try and break into Hogwarts, do you?” Dottie asked, voice becoming frantic. 

“I don’t know, Dottie. I really don’t know what’s going to happen. I am not going to stop you from going to Hogsmeade or Quidditch games or what have you, but I don’t want you going alone. Keep an eye out for yourself. I know Molly and Arthur have given Harry a similar warning, but I know that you’re going to want to keep an eye out for him too. I just want you to be careful, sweetheart. Can you promise me that?”

“Yes, Dad. I promise.”

* * *

The Lupins got to Platform Nine and Three Quarters early enough to have their pick of the cars. They both headed to the back of the train. 

“Is it alright if I sit with you, Dad?” Dottie asked, balancing Athena’s cage on top of her luggage. 

Lupin turned back to face her. “Of course it is, Dottie. Why wouldn’t it?”

“I just thought I remembered you saying that you and your friends always took the last car. I thought you might want to, I don’t know, be nostalgic?”

Lupin laughed, putting his free arm around his daughter’s shoulders. “Dottie, I can be nostalgic with you around, you know. I’m not going to stop you from sitting with me, though I can’t promise you that I’m going to be much company. I might just nod off.”

Dottie nodded. It took a lot to wake her father the day after a full moon. 

They took the last car, Lupin setting his luggage on the rack with ease. Dottie tried to lift her trunk up, but found that she was still too short. Lupin took one look at her and laughed in pity. “I was about your height when I was your age. I understand. Here, give me your luggage.”

“Thanks, Dad,” Dottie mumbled, sinking into her seat, face flushed red. 

Lupin sat down in the corner seat and sighed. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been on this train, but I’m glad I get to do it again with you.”

Dottie knocked her shoulder against her father’s lightly. “Yeah, me too.”

The train pulled out of the station, and Dottie watched as her father’s eyes flicked closed and his breathing evened out. She stifled her own yawn. 

The door to their car opened, and the Weasley twins stuck their heads inside. Dottie got to her feet carefully and joined them in the hallway, closing the door behind her. 

“There you are, Dottie,” Fred said. 

“You didn’t say goodbye when you left this morning, and you didn’t show up at the station,” George continued. “Searched nearly the whole train for you.”

“Sorry, guys,” Dottie said. “Dad and I got here early. He had a rough night last night, had to miss the staff train.”

“Bad time for a flare-up, huh?” George said. 

“There’s never a good time for a flare-up,” Dottie said. “He’s asleep now, and I’m not even going to bother to ask you guys to be quiet. I don’t think you’re physically capable of it.”

“Hey!” Fred protested, and Dottie laughed. 

“You know I’m teasing, Weasley.”

“Still,” he whined, shoving her playfully. 

“I don’t want my dad to wake up with me gone and not knowing where I am. Sorry, guys. I can make it up later if you want.”

“It’s fine, Lupin,” George said, “I’m sure you’ll think of some prank to make it up.”

“I’ll see you guys at school,” Dottie said, knocking her shoulders against each of theirs. “Don’t do anything stupid, okay?”

“Come on, Dot,” George said, “All three of us know that you’re the voice of reason here.”

Dottie laughed as she slipped back into the car. She yawned again, sitting down next to her father again. It had been a long night. 

The rocking of the train was soothing, and Dottie leaned her head against her father’s shoulder, the fabric of his cloak soft and warm. Dottie didn’t think it would hurt to close her eyes for just a moment. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah if you can't tell, I am American, and I am using American spellings for this, and I don't really care lmao. 
> 
> Any ways, enjoy!

“I don’t go looking for trouble. It usually finds me.”

“How thick would Harry have to be to go looking for a nutter who wants to kill him? No one knows how he got out of Azkaban. No one’s ever done it before. And he was a top security prisoner too.”

Dottie blinked awake to the hushed whispers filling the car, relaxing when she realized it was only Harry, Ron, and Hermione. The sun was much higher in the sky, and Dottie couldn’t tell how long she had slept. She stretched her shoulders and her neck and yawned quietly. 

“Sorry, we were trying not to wake you or your father,” Hermione said, Crookshanks settled in her lap. 

“Don’t worry about it. And besides, you don’t have to whisper anymore. Nothing short of about three dragons, or your brothers,” Dottie said with a grin to Ron, “Will wake him up, and besides, it’s my fault I didn’t sleep well last night.”

“This is your dad?” Harry said.

“I told them I’ve met him a couple times,” Ron explained. 

Dottie nodded. “My dad gets sick pretty regularly, and when my grandfather or aunt can’t take me, I stay with the Weasleys. That’s why I was at the Leaky Cauldron with you guys last night.”

Harry tilted his head, looking at Lupin with a distant expression. “He’s sick?”

Dottie sighed. “He’s not contagious, I mean, he would have to deliberately go out of his way to get you sick, but he wouldn’t. He’s been chronically ill since he was four years old, I think he told me? I’m not sure. He doesn’t like talking about it much.”

Harry nodded, the strange expression still on his face. Dottie wanted to tell him everything, thought that he deserved to know, but she kept her mouth closed. It wasn't her story to tell. 

“You guys are third years this year, right?” Dottie asked instead, and the group nodded. “Sweet, you guys get to go to Hogsmeade this year.”

“I can’t go,” Harry shrugged. “My aunt and uncle refused to sign the permission slip.”

Ron looked horrified. “McGonagall or someone has got to give you permission. No way. Or, you could ask Fred and George, they know all the secret passages out of the castle.”

“Ron!” Hermione snapped. “I don’t think we should be encouraging him to sneak out of school with Black on the loose.”

“But if we’re with him,” Ron protested, “Black wouldn’t dare.”

“I hate to burst your bubble, Ron,” Dottie said, voice gone quiet and serious, “But I don’t think that you two being with him would stop Black from attacking Harry. I mean, he’s already murdered over a dozen people out in the open. I don’t think that’s going to stop him. I mean, I’m more than willing to bring back sweets and stuff if you want, though I will tell you, Dad and I are suckers for Honeydukes’ chocolate.”

“That’s nice of you to offer,” Harry said, “But I’m not going to make you buy me candy.”

“Oh, but Honeydukes doesn’t just sell chocolate,” Ron cut in, “They’ve got everything. Sure, they do sell Muggle sweets, but they’ve got loads of wizarding candy. Pepper Imps, those make steam come out of your ears, they’re so spicy. There’s acid pops, but I don’t recommend those, Fred and George gave me one when I was little, I burnt a hole in my tongue. Oh, and Bertie Botts Every-Flavor Beans. You’ve had those before, right, Harry?”

“Yeah, I have.”

“Actually, just about everything they sell on the trolley, you can get at Honeydukes, and so much more,” Ron said, eyes glazing as he daydreamed about the candy. 

The conversation trailed off slowly, and Dottie thought about leaning against her father’s shoulder and drifting off again. 

“If I fall asleep,” Dottie told the younger three, “Don’t worry about waking me or Dad up.”

The trolley witch came and went, and the train sped farther north, until the sun began to set. Clouds rolled in, and the sounds of the train were joined by the pattering of rain. In each of the compartments, lanterns began to flick on. Dottie drifted in and out of sleep, but Dottie’s father had not yet woken up. 

“Are you sure he’s alright, Dottie?” Hermione asked. 

“Yes, I’m sure. He had a flare up last night, and he was in a lot of pain and didn’t get any sleep. He missed the staff train, but he’s okay. He promised.”

Suddenly, the train began to slow. “Great, we’ve arrived.” Dottie said, turning to nudge her father’s shoulder. 

“We’re not there yet,” Harry said, furrowing his brow. 

“Then why are we stopping?” Ron asked, opening the car door and sticking his head out. The train was suddenly pitched into darkness, all of the lanterns snuffing out at once. From outside the compartment, voices erupted all the way down the train. 

“Do you think we’ve broken down?” Hermione asked, voice shrill with panic. Ron’s rat started squealing, trying to escape his grip. 

“I dunno.”

Dottie leaned over her father and wiped a patch of the window free of condensation. “I think something’s moving out there…”

The compartment door opened again, and Dottie grinned as Neville Longbottom stumbled in. “Sorry, do you guys know what’s going on? Sorry,” he stammered. 

“Hey, Neville,” Dottie said, grabbing the hem of his sleeve so he didn’t trip over anyone’s feet. 

“No idea what’s happening, unfortunately,” Hermione said, standing up and depositing a bristling Crookshanks on her seat. “I’m going to go and ask the driver what’s going on.”

The door slid open before Hermione could grab it, and she ran headlong into Ginny Weasley. 

“What are you doing?” Hermione asked. 

“I was looking for Ron!”

“Just sit down,” Dottie said. This seemed to be the wrong thing to say, because as Ginny looked for a place to sit that wasn’t occupied by a fuming cat or by other students in the darkness, it set off everyone bickering. 

“Quiet!” 

The car filled with a flickering, silver light, and Dottie got a good look at her father’s face as he stood up with a handful of magical fire. He looked far too alert for someone who had been asleep for the entire day. 

“Stay where you are,” he told them, and he took a step towards the compartment door. 

But it slowly slid open before he could reach it. 

The cold was the first thing Dottie knew. It was bone deep, and she felt as if she would never be warm again. She glanced to the open door, and felt her stomach fall through her seat. 

A black-cloaked figure stood in the doorway, illuminated by the flames in her father’s hand. Its face was completely hidden, but there was a hand protruding from the ratty, dark fabric. It looked gray and decayed, like something that had drowned a long time ago.

Dottie watched with horror as it turned its gaze to her and Harry. The creature, from beneath its hood, drew in a long, rattling breath, and Dottie had the horrifying thought that it was trying to breath in something more than air. 

The cold intensified. Dottie heard something roaring in her ears. She couldn’t see anything. She couldn’t breath, couldn’t move. 

And from far away, she heard someone speaking, voice too calm, but it was not the voice of anyone Dottie knew was in the car. 

_Sweet dreams, my little darling. I’ll be back as soon as I can._

Dottie couldn’t put a name to the voice, but something in her chest told her that she knew who this was. The voice was deep and soothing, but something about it made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up straight. 

A new voice sounded. Dottie knew this one like the back of her hand, knew that it belonged to the man sitting next to her, even if it sounded like he was speaking from another room.

_Sirius, where are you going?_

Dottie tried to call out to her father, but she still couldn’t move. 

_James and Lily… Oh god, Remus, James and Lily, they’re gone. I need to find Peter._

Dottie realized with a start that this was her other father’s voice. This was the night her aunt and uncles were murdered.

_Sirius, what have you done?_

“ _Expecto Patronum!_ ” With a flash of silver light, everything was gone. The lights came back on, the cold seeped out of the compartment, and the creature was gone. 

Dottie sucked in a desperate breath, wrapping her arms tightly around her torso, burrowing into her sweater. She jumped out of her seat when she realized that, next to her, Harry had passed out. 

“Harry! Wake up!” Hermione said, reaching over to shake at his shoulder. Harry jolted awake, chest heaving. 

“Are you okay?” Ron asked, fidgeting with his fingers. 

“Yeah, I think,” Harry said, glancing at the door. “What happened? Where’s that, that thing? Who screamed? Somebody was screaming.”

“I didn’t hear anybody screaming,” Hermione said. Behind her, Ginny looked deathly pale, and her entire body was trembling. Neville was just as pale, and his breathing came in wheezes. Dottie reached over and grabbed both of their hands comfortingly. 

“But, but I heard somebody screaming,” Harry protested, looking around in a panic. “I’m not making it up, am I?”

Lupin pulled something from his luggage, sitting back down with a gold-wrapped slab of chocolate. Dottie recognized it as her favorite kind, the dark chocolate with hazelnuts. He unwrapped it and started breaking it into pieces. 

“Here,” he said to Harry, offering him a large piece. Dottie watched as he tried to conceal the grief from his expression. From what she knew from her father’s photo album, Harry looked just like James. “Eat it. It will help.”

Harry took the chocolate, but didn’t eat it. Lupin handed a piece to Dottie, who took a bite. She felt warmth start to spread through her body, and she relaxed a tiny bit. 

“Oh, I should have asked, excuse me, but do any of you have a nut allergy?” Lupin asked. “This has hazelnuts in it.”

Everyone shook their heads, too stunned to speak. 

“What, what was that thing?” Harry asked. 

“That, Harry, was a dementor,” Lupin said, dividing the rest of the bar between the rest of the students. “They are the guards of Azkaban. And if I’m correct, they were searching the train for Sirius Black. Dementors feed on positive emotions, and when in the presence of one, they make you experience your worst memories.”

Dottie looked to her father, eyes wide in realization. Of course her worst memory was the day her father lost nearly everything, the last time her other father tucked her into bed before murdering thirteen people. 

Everyone stared at him as he crumpled up the gold foil and put it in a pocket of his cardigan. “Eat,” he repeated. “You’ll feel better. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to have a word with the driver,” Lupin said. He stood, taking his cane, and left the compartment. 

“I’ll be back, guys,” Dottie shoved the last bite of her chocolate into her mouth, got to her feet, and followed him out of the car. “Dad!” she whispered. Lupin turned, the strained smile disappearing from his face, concern etching his features. 

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” he asked. 

“Dad, I didn’t think I remembered his voice,” Dottie said, trembling over her words, “But I heard it. I heard his voice.”

Lupin looked over his shoulder, and then back to Dottie. “Who did you hear?”

“Dad, I heard Papa,” Dottie whispered, eyes trained on her shoes. “Papa tucked me into bed and called me his little darling.”

Lupin’s eyes went wide, and he suddenly pulled Dottie into a tight embrace. 

“Sweetheart,” he whispered, voice cracking, and Dottie let out a sob that was muffled into his chest. “You’re alright. I won’t let him hurt you. I swear.”

Dottie had no reason not to believe her father’s promise, but she found that she wasn’t so sure. 


End file.
